The Unlikely Pair
by SnapeLikesMyPatronus
Summary: Vala has a hard time understanding how to get to Daniel, but something else comes up and shows her what's been staring her in the face the whole time.


SG-1 was playing basketball in the gym of the base one evening on their day off. Vala and Daniel were teamed up and Cam was teamed up with Teal'c. Cam's team was winning, so Daniel was getting frustrated.

"Come on, Vala," Daniel tossed the ball and it went through the hoop. "Like that. Real easy. I'm the only one scoring the points."

"Oh, shut up, Daniel," Vala grabbed the ball as it bounced toward her. She threw it, but it didn't even hit the rim of the hoop. Daniel groaned.

Cam grabbed the ball next and dodged Daniel, then dodged Vala, scoring the winning point for his team.

"Yesss," Cam threw his arms up in triumph and then clapped Teal'c on the shoulder. "We kicked your asses. Suck it."

Daniel left the gym first, going into the men's locker room. Teal'c and Cam followed Daniel as Vala went into the women's locker room. Cam tossed off his shirt and shorts, then grabbed a towel and was about to head to the showers when he heard Daniel mumbling.

"What's up?" Cam stopped before heading to the showers. Daniel had a frown on his face.

"Next time I'm teaming with Teal'c," he grumbled. "I don't even like basketball, but Vala being on my team just makes it that much more un-enjoyable."

"It's just a game, Jackson," Cam clapped him on the shoulder. "Go easy on her. She's a chick, what did you expect?"

He headed into the showers and cleaned up, then got dressed and ready to head out for the evening. Teal'c and Vala were waiting outside the gym, already finished in the locker rooms. Daniel came out soon after Cam and started to head toward his quarters.

"Hey, wait up," Cam ran after him and stopped him. "We should all go out and hit the bar. It's Saturday, we all need to let off some steam, especially after that game."

"Nah, you guys go without me," Daniel nodded toward his office. "I've got to get some work done. It's more relaxing than the bar anyway."

"Have it your way, then," Cam shrugged and headed back to the others. "Do you guys want to go to the bar? We've got tomorrow off, let's go have some fun."

"I cannot," Teal'c bowed his head slightly. "I promised SG-8 that I would help with training some new members."

"Ah, come onnn," Cam didn't want to go alone, so he turned to Vala. "Please? Now I know you don't have anything else to do. Come to the bar with me."

"I suppose," Vala shrugged. "Daniel is going to be too busy for me anyway."

They started walking together to the elevator. Cam decided to speak his mind about their situation.

"Look, I've seen how you've looked at Jackson, but I don't think he's interested," Cam pressed the up button once they reached the elevator. "I know you're trying real hard, but Daniel's been through a lot of crap and I don't think he wants a relationship."

"Oh, he'll come around," Vala sounded confident. "He just needs a little pushing in the right direction."

"I don't think pushing would help anything," Cam muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

The elevator finally opened in front of them and a few scientists stepped off as Cam and Vala got in. Cam pressed "1" and the elevator started going up.

"All I'm saying is, Daniel isn't interested," Cam knew Daniel well enough to know that he didn't really like Vala like she liked him.

"He will be," Vala grinned to herself.

Cam shrugged the subject off. They arrived at the top floor and left the elevator, heading to the base doors. Once outside Cam went to his car and Vala followed. They drove for a little while, Cam noticing the sun was finally setting behind the mountains. He loved going to Colorado Springs at night. The lights were always amazing in the dark. He pulled up to his favorite bar and parked, getting out.

Vala made her way into the bar, Cam right behind her. There were some people dancing near some strobe lights, but Cam veered away from that area and headed to the bar. He sat down and Vala sat next to him.

"What's that dance move called?" she asked, pointing to a young woman who was dancing with a bunch of her girl friends.

Cam look back and laughed, turning back to the bar. "Twerking."

"That looks rather fun," Vala started to say, but Cam cut in.

"Don't even," he said, holding his hand up to get the bartender's attention. "That's for young stupid girls who have nothing better to do than to get the attention of young drunk guys."

"Maybe I could do that around Daniel… would that get his attention?"

"Can we talk about something other than Daniel?" Cam was suddenly aware of how weird he felt. Jealous? No. Cam didn't get jealous. Especially not when it came to Vala. She was like one of his best friends.

"Okay, fine," Vala turned back around as the bartender came up.

"What can I get you folks?" he asked, cleaning a glass.

"I'll have a dry martini," Vala said, biting her bottom lip in a sexy way. "And a cherry on the side, please."

"Whiskey sour," Cam told the bartender. As soon as the guy walked off to make the drinks, Cam turned to Vala. "You're so playing that guy. He's going to give you that drink free of charge. How did you learn that?"

"I watch a lot of television," she shrugged. "So let's talk about you since you don't want to hear about my undying love for Daniel."

"It's a _crush,_" Cam rolled his eyes and looked over at Vala. "Everyone gets them. So what do you want to know? You already know me pretty well."

Vala shrugged off his comment about the crush. "I don't know. Who was your first girlfriend and what was she like?"

"Amy Vandenberg," Cam took his drink as the bartender sat it down. "Not really a girlfriend, mostly a crush, but she was the one I really fell for. But, we ended up going separate ways after high school and that was that."

"Interesting," Vala sipped her drink, then thought of another question. "So when and to who did you lose your virginity?"

Cam almost spit his drink at that question. "Um, Vala, I think that's a bit _too_ personal."

"You're no fun," Vala finished her drink and sat the glass down. "Okay, let me think of something else."

Cam finished his drink, too, then ordered himself a beer. Vala also ordered one. He watched her sit there and think for a moment until finally she found her question.

"Do you like someone currently?" she asked.

"Well," Cam was now suddenly aware of how pretty Vala looked. She was his friend, yet he felt something more. He pushed that thought aside and answered. "Not really. I mean, I'm not sure. It's complicated."

"Someone I know?" Vala nudged him and smiled. "That new lady doctor? One of the new recruits?"

"Let's just drop this conversation," Cam shook his head and drank some of his beer.

"Okay, so we can talk about Daniel again, then," Vala smirked and sipped her beer, too. "I don't get him. He's so perfect, yet he can be an ass. I know he wants me, I can see it in his face. I just have to figure out exactly how I can get him to _admit_ he wants me. He may say things that hurt sometimes, but I know I can be annoying to that extent, so he's in the right."

"Vala," Cam started, but she kept talking.

"Arrogant, self-centered, yet so damn sexy," Vala was lost in thought now. "Especially when he's so into a book or some relic he's studying, then of course I have to interrupt because I like when he gets all huffy and on edge."

"Vala, listen," Cam couldn't hear anymore about how she felt about Daniel. He knew now he was feeling jealous. Vala continued, yet again, to talk.

"I feel like I should be some old pot or something found in a desert temple to get his attention," Vala then paused, thinking. "I should dress like a relic. Maybe then-"

"Vala, I like _you_," there it was. It slipped out in the moment and he wished he could take it back, because now she had stopped talking and was staring right at him.

"What?" Her voice went quiet now.

"I said I like you," Cam was internally screaming at himself to stop before he screwed up the friendship.

Vala sat for a moment, then grinned. "Ah, I see what you're doing. You're changing the subject from Daniel again. Well, it's not going to work. Nice try. Anyway, back to Daniel…"

Cam slowly lowered his head to the bar and hit his forehead softly a couple of times, tired of all the Daniel talk.

.

~~~x~~~

.

Cam woke up the next day to find Teal'c standing right outside his door, looking rather unhappy.

"What's up, T?" Cam asked as they made their way to the locker room to get ready for their next basketball game.

"I believe the new members of SG-8 are afraid of me," Teal'c almost sounded upset. "I went for training and they all just stared at me. No one asked any questions."

"You're just a little intimidating," Cam shrugged, turning a corner. "They'll warm up to ya."

In the locker room Cam could hear voices. Daniel and Vala's voices.

"Daniel, just look at me," Vala was speaking in a very hushed, sexy-like voice. "Examine me like you examine your relics."

Cam walked into the room to see Vala dressed in some egyptian queen, holding two urns on each hand. _Ah, shit, no Vala… _was all he could think. Daniel had now had enough, because he started to yell at her.

"Vala," he threw his hands up in the air and then clapped them together in a praying way. "Please. Stop. I told you before and I will tell you again; I don't want this. I don't want _you_. I've got enough to deal with and your little shenanigans are just driving me over the top of the frustration wall. I've been through a lot in my life and I was just getting to a point where I was happy, and then you come along and ruin it. Go _away_."

Vala obviously had never been yelled at, or rather told off by anyone before. She raised her eyebrows, trying to hold back her sadness. "Fine," she whispered, then ran out of the room.

"Dude," Cam looked over at Daniel, who now looked very apologetic. "Harsh. You know she likes you. She's trying to make an effort." _Stop trying to help, dumbass…_ he thought to himself as he spoke.

"It's just too much right now," Daniel shook his head, rubbing his temples. "I've got so much I'm working on, she doesn't even realize-"

"So just say that next time instead of making her feel so unwanted," Cam said blatantly, then left the room.

He knew exactly where Vala would have gone. He made his way to her quarters and then knocked on the door.

"Go away," he heard her voice from the other side.

"Hey, it's me," Cam spoke quietly, but he knew she could hear him. "Listen… can I come in? I don't do well talking to doors."

It was a moment, but then the door opened and Vala stood there. She had been crying, he noticed.

"What do you want?" Vala said quietly, wiping her eye quickly.

"Look, I'm sorry about how Jackson treated you back there," he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him so that their conversation would be private. "He's under a lot of stress."

"He's made it clear as day, he doesn't want me," Vala sat on her bed and twiddled her fingers together. "He's never yelled at me like that before, so he must be pretty serious."

Cam sat down next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Just leave him be. It's not worth it if he's really just not into you like that."

Vala sighed and basically admitted defeat. "He's all I had," she mumbled. "I don't know why I like him so much. He's stubborn. Sure, most times he's nice, but lately it's just been downhill."

"Forget about him for right now," Cam moved his hand down her back without realizing it. "You need to take time for yourself. Don't waste your energy on something you know deep down isn't worth it."

"I guess so," Vala went quiet, then turned to face Cam. "Thanks."

They stared at each other for a moment, then Cam did something stupid that he was instantly regretting. He kissed her on the lips, but as soon as he did, she was pushing him away and staring at him. Cam looked around the room awkwardly, then stood up and walked backwards to the door.

"I should, uh," he pointed his thumb at the door behind him.

"Yeah," Vala whispered.

Cam quickly opened the door and left the room, closing it behind him. He made it a good way down the corridor and around a corner before he stopped and leaned against a wall, hitting the back of his head against it multiple times. _Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ he thought each time he hit his head.

.

~~~x~~~

.

Vala sat in her bedroom, her brain now full of weird emotions. She never thought about Cam in a romantic way, but since he kissed her she didn't know what to feel. She confided in him a lot, like best friends do. She had told him things she had never told Daniel because she knew Cam wouldn't make fun of her for it or ignore her when she told him even silly things.

She laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. These new emotions were confusing. She suddenly forgot all about Daniel and now every thought was about Cam. She decided to just try to control the emotions this time so she wouldn't mess things up.

Later in the day Vala got dressed into some normal clothing and headed to the mess hall. There were two other people there having a late lunch, but other than that it was just her. She grabbed some food and sat down, slowly eating, thinking about Cam kissing her. She sighed and shook her head. Just then, Daniel, Teal'c and Cam walked in.

She noticed Daniel glance over at her, maybe expecting her to say something, but she didn't. She just continued to eat her food, but then she looked up at Cam as he walked by. Daniel noticed this.

.

~~~x~~~

.

"Watch out," Daniel muttered to Cam as they got their food. "Vala didn't give me a glance. Something's up. She looked at you, though. Heads up. She's kind of manipulative. That's why I've been trying to keep distance with her."

"I don't think so, Jackson," Cam shrugged, grabbing the last blue Jell-o. Teal'c gave a sideways glance at him, which grew into a long pause, then Cam sighed and gave the Jell-o to Teal'c. "I think she's okay, to be honest."

"Okay?" Daniel laughed slightly as they sat at a table far from Vala. "Don't you remember when she, oh, I dunno... tried to _kill_ me? Or maybe if you don't remember that, maybe you'll remember when she tried to trade me for ship parts?"

"That was a really long time ago," Cam was now feeling defensive of Vala. "She's just fine now. She's had time to realize that you just can't do that to people."

"Maybe," Daniel shook his head. "But that still doesn't give her any right to disrupt my work just to get me to like her. She knows I don't, that's why she's trying so hard."

"Drop it," Cam said. Teal'c just listened and watched. "She's actually decent."

Daniel laughed. "Sure. Okay. You'll believe that until she kidnaps you when you least expect it."

"Stop," Cam said loudly. He was tired of Daniel's crap. "She's a good person now. Get over it."

Daniel frowned, then got up and looked down at Cam. "I need to work. Don't bother waiting for me to play any basketball tonight."

"I won't," Cam said as he watched Daniel walk off quickly. "He's being kind of a bitch lately. I wonder what's crawled up his ass and died."

"Indeed," Teal'c took a bite of the blue Jell-o.

.

~~~x~~~

.

Vala had listened to the whole ordeal at Cam's table. She had an even stronger feeling towards Cam now. Maybe it was just because he was defending her, but she was really happy now. She got up from her table and walked over to Cam, putting her hand on his shoulder and looking down at him.

"Thanks," she said quietly, then walked away.

.

~~~x~~~

.

Cam spent the rest of the day thinking about what he should do. He now obviously had feelings for Vala, and not just friend-feelings either. He wanted to just hold her, but he knew it was way too soon.

The next few days were pretty quiet. SG-1 needed to go offworld to check out an old Goa'uld outpost one day, the next day they had to go to a small village where the people thought they were all dying because they disobeyed their leader, but it ended up being an easily treatable virus. On the last off world mission of the week Cam noticed Vala was walking closer to him than usual. Daniel and Teal'c went through the gate back to the SGC, but Vala stopped Cam before he could walk through.

"Um, Cam," she brushed her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. "It's become pretty clear that you meant what you said at the bar the other night. That you liked me. I mean, it was obvious when you kissed me, but I had a lot going on. I've had a lot of time to think now, and… well I like you, too."

Cam grinned, trying to hold back how happy this made him feel. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," Vala nodded, then leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I don't know why I didn't see you as more than a friend before."

"We should head back to base," Cam nodded at the gate, then they walked through.

Over the next week, Vala and Cam had started holding hands. At first in secret, but then started doing it during meals and on weekends when they were off duty. Cam noticed Daniel looking at them every once in a while, but he would pretty much ignore the fact. Vala seemed very happy, and Cam _was_ happy. He didn't know exactly if he was allowed to call her his girlfriend yet, but he really wanted to.

One night Cam went to Vala's quarters and knocked on the door. She opened the door and greeted him with a kiss on the cheek, then grabbed his hand and held it. "Hi," she smiled sweetly, her cheeks turning a rosy pink.

"Hey," Cam couldn't help but smile. "So I was thinking… We've been holding hands and basically done a lot together this past week... "

"Yes, we have," Vala nodded and bit her lip. "I really enjoy it."

"So, I mean," Cam shrugged slightly and held her hand up. "This means you're my girlfriend, right? I don't want to give someone the wrong impression."

"I suppose it does," Vala said slowly, nodding. "So you're my boyfriend. That's nice. I like that."

"I like that, too," Cam smiled and stepped closer to her. "So as an official boyfriend now, I'd like to try that kiss again."

Vala nodded slowly, then stepped closer to him. Cam leaned down and kissed her lips slowly, then he felt her return the kiss and wrap her arms around him. The kiss ended up being pretty long and drawn out, and when they stopped they were almost gasping for air.

"So," Cam smiled awkwardly now. "Was that okay?"

"Best kiss I've ever had," Vala grinned. "Boyfriend."


End file.
